Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2010

The Board found no evidence of a right knee, back, or hip disability that was incurred in service. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right leg, and left leg disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, status post fusion, is currently rated at 40 percent. The issue of an initial compensable evaluation for the bunion, left great toe, remains in appellate status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his service, including two automobile accidents during active duty. As a result, the claim for service connection for a back disability is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and higher rating for her low back strain. The Board also did not grant TDIU due to insufficient evidence showing she is unemployable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and a disability characterized by memory loss are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was primarily characterized by flexion ranging from 0 to 40 degrees, with acute episodes of lumbar pain requiring treatment by a physician. The criteria for a rating of 40 percent have been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of the claimed disabilities and thus could not grant service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed low back disability and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor can they be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records, including those from VA clinics and Vet Centers. The RO/AMC will obtain all relevant treatment records and ensure that they have been reviewed.

The Veteran is entitled to special monthly pension benefits due to his nonservice-connected disabilities and age over 65, meeting the criteria for housebound status.

The Veteran is granted a separate 10 percent rating for the neurological manifestations of his cervical spine disability in the right upper extremity, effective September 26, 2003. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was reopened and granted secondary to the service-connected left ankle, left knee, and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that it was incurred in service due to a parachuting injury.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn. The Board granted service connection for cervical spine arthritis, claimed as a cervical spine condition, on a presumptive basis due to its presence within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for wrist, back, and stomach disabilities due to incomplete service records. The Veteran's conditions are being evaluated based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and mechanical low back pain were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or a back disability, and the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of her lumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, but denied the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee and low back conditions did not originate in service or for many years thereafter, and are not related to any incident during active service.

The Board found that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disorder. The Board also determined that there is no causal link between the right eye surgery and the loss of vision in the left eye, thus denying compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.